LOS ANGELES, Dec. 31 – A Superior Court judge declined today to reduce bail for Leslie Van Houten, a former follower of convicted mass murderer Charles Manson.

Judge Jack E. Goertzen conceded Miss Van Houten had made progress in prison, but he said the “gravity” of the charges require bail to remain at $200,000.

The former Monrovia High School homecoming princess, now 27, faces a new trial next month on charges of murder and conspiracy in the deaths of grocery store owner Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary, in 1969.

Miss Van Houten’s 1971 conviction was overturned last month by the state Court of Appeal.

Her attorney, Maxwell Keith, told Goertzen he believed $50,000 would have been “a fair and reasonable bail even under the circumstances.”

He added, “I do not believe she is a security risk.”

Deputy Dist. Atty. Stephen Kay reminded the judge that the appeals court had reversed Miss Van Houten’s conviction and also stressed that the evidence against her was very strong.

Kay said Miss Van Houten’s alleged crime was “one of the most serious offenses Los Angeles has ever had.”

During the hearing, Miss Van Houten agreed to waive any conflict of interest argument she might have if Charles “Tex” Watson, another former Manson follower convicted of mass murder, should testify against her at the upcoming trial.

Attorney Keith represented both Miss Van Houten and Watson during the LaBianca-Sharon Tate murder trial in 1970.

Miss Van Houten was not charged in the murders of Miss Tate and four others at the home of movie director Roman Polanski the night before the LaBiancas were stabbed to death.